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What do you do to help the Environment?

Over the last few years I realized that the way I lived was not very earth friendly. So I have gradually made some changes.

  1. I don't buy bottled water (I drink from the tap or filter my own.)
  2. I use re-usable bags when I shop, all stores not just grocery. Plus instead of using the bags in the produce or bulk item sections I bring my own containers or mesh bags.
  3. I've cut down on the use of paper products. In the kitchen I use mostly cloth towels. 1 roll of paper towels can last me over 1 month.
  4. I make most of my own cleaning liquids, primarily consisting of white vinegar & water, some applications I also use baking soda.
  5. I use vinegar in my laundry in place of bleach and softener (I'm in Nevada, very dry, some items require softener.)
  6. I use food storage hacks to extend the life of produce (I HATE throwing away food!)

Do you have any suggestions? What do you do?

BeeHappy 9 Dec 14
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34 comments

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1

I burn plastics.

This may seem like a good idea because plastic takes any where from 450 - 1000 years to decompose depending on the type of plastic. However, burning plastics also send a lot of carbon into the atmosphere which contribute to the Greenhouse effect. It's kind of a damned if you, damned if you don't kind of situation.

Presuming sarcasm...

Ahhh.... doesn't that emit toxins?

Well yeah, but I have fun with it and plastics are no longer a part of the matrix.

Irrevrant sarcasm yes. No harm intended.

12

I compost, I have a worm box in my pantry. I use less plastic, haven't been able to get rid of it all yet. I reduce, reuse, and recycle. I garden and grow some of my own food. I try to drive less. I use personal wipes instead of toilet paper. I make my own cleaners. I cook from scratch, never buy processed and fake food. I made my own grocery bags about 10 years ago, still using them. I make my own soap and shampoo.

Good job!

11

I live as far removed from the money system as I reasonably can. I grow more of my own vegetables each year. I keep chickens. My house remains furnished and decorated with hand-me-downs and cast-offs. I take responsibility for the things I purchase so that I generate a minimum landfill input. I manage a ten-acre woodlot. I obsessively study human nature.

skado Level 9 Dec 14, 2017

Impressive! I'm an apartment dweller so don't have the option to do some of the things mentioned. But almost everything in my apartment is second hand, either gifted to me, or purchased used from someone else.

Love it!

9

i don't eat meat.

yeah, that is probably the big one, I have tried being vegetarian a few times but fail, I know I will have to fix it eventually.

8

I don’t do 4 or 5. But I use biodegradable and environment friendly products.

I don’t buy anything new made in China or India.

I compost. Make most things from scrap. Grow and raise most of my own food.

I recycle.

I use canvas bags for everything. I never get plastic bags. Actually in Eugene, you have to pay for plastic shopping bags.

I try to purchase things without excessive packaging.

I buy used a lot—all my books, most of my crafting and sewing stuff (I cut up used clothes for material often).

And many other things.

I want to compost, but we've had such problems with rodents (rats were the worse, and so hard to get rid of, but also mice and shrews continue to be a never-ending problem), and food composting tends to attract rodents. If I could set up the compost far enough away from the house, it might help, but I'm unsure even that would be enough.

Chickens help with that. Well, cocks, not hens.

Great!

8

I didn't have my own children

LOL, so that helps by... what?

the life on this planet is about to self-destruct because of the mass of greedy humanity raping the earth. my children will never be part of that or generations after them and they will not suffer ever like many will do.

Here's Doug Stanhope's rather succinct, albeit harsh take on the problem:

I didn't either!! I saved 15 years worth of consumption.

Ok, ok, I get it. @resserts Stanhope holds no punches does he. Wow.

so I'm doing quite a lot really.

8

I have a rule in my house never put food in the garbage .If my daughter refuses to eat something because of those expired dates that cause more waste in this country than some countries actually, consume I will eat it . Any thing else we will feed to the seagulls or wild animals .And the last case scenario is it is used in the garden for fertilizer.Also I never throw clothing out . Anything made of cotton is perfect for rags in my garage . Any thing else is donated to the good will society .Also I buy biodegradable cleaning products if applicable.

Terrific!

Those expiration dates are shit. You are correct that they are gimmicks to make people spend more money.

I give all my food waste to the compost. Which I cultivate worms in. And both feed chickens.

7

I use drip irrigation on timers in my garden. And I make my own 'ollas' which are clay pots buried in the ground next to my plants. I'm a potter so I make my own. Re-purpose a lot of junk from the trash such as lumber and sheet metal roofing from construction jobs. I have no idea if this stuff helps???

Sure it does, or at the very least it reduces the harm being done. Good for you.

6

I also stopped buying books. I now use my library extensively. I also shop estate sales and repurpose things. I make lotions, potions, and lip balms, all organic.

I make lotions with a variety of oils, and many of them are infused with herbs. Depending on how thick I want the lotion they may have beeswax in them. I've made beard balms for my sons in law who are all bearded. DIY Natural is the website that got me started making my own stuff and going more natural. I just ignore the religious thrust of the site.

i love my local library!

6

I planted a tree once when I was about 10 years old. I guess that qualifies as helping.

6

We do everything you do and a few more:

  1. We grow a high percentage of our own vegetables.
  2. We use NO gasoline-powered tools of any kind -- not even lawnmowers.
  3. ALL of our utilities at home are electric -- including tank-less water heater --
    and our average total utility bill -- including a/c and heating -- is less than $100/mo.

Wonderful!

I have two push mowers. Lol

6

I commute to work by Bicycle, and I am an avocational advocate for alternative transportation and energy. Based on the way my housing complex was designed, in 1947, my carbon footprint is nil.

Awesome!

5

I only fly once a year. Have to to visit my aging parents. Vacation at home. Have solar electric that sells to the grid, passive solar house and solar heated floor., NO children deliberately to cut consumption,for starts

5

I plant a tree every year on my late father's birthday. It's a small, but meaningful gesture for me.

5

Recycling bin as big as rubbish bin. Smart AC, Smart irrigation system, Smart lighting.

5

I recycle my bottles.

We just upped our deposit charge from a nickel to a dime in Oregon. 🙂

4

I don't eat meat or dairy. I use re-usable bags. I don't shop "fast fashion." I don't eat fast food. I hand wash my car using less than two buckets of water. I try to only shop from the produce section of the market or the farmer's market. I try to walk (in LA) as much as I can.

yes, i forgot that: washing my car with actually just half a bucket of water - it's a small car 🙂 - & once the year only.

4

I'm vegan and I recycle. By being vegan I reduce the methane and carbon in the atmosphere because I don't eat anything that is produced by animal agriculture, because animal agriculture is the largest producer of methane world wide as well as a giant producer of carbon. By not participating in animal agriculture and not buying any animal products, there will be slightly less demand and thus slightly less supply needed-- thus the methane and carbon is reduced. Being vegan also reduces the amount of water needed to produce a lot of vegan crops. Just got to know what produce to buy and what produce to stay away from in order to conserve water. For example, Almonds need a lot of water to grow, where as soy doesn't. So I try to buy soy products instead of almond products. If you want to know more about how animal agriculture harms the environment, I suggest watching a documentary on Netlfix called "Cow-spiracy."

Good info! Thanks

4

Recycle
Energy saving appliances
Compost
Carpool

Great!

3

I do most of these things too. As a teacher I tried to get paper recycling going(a mountain of paper thrown out constantly and it breaks my heart). No one cares. I take home my own paper that is generated by admin, students or me to recycle. I am trying not to buy new clothes-a few items a year because rotting material causes co2 buildup and no fleece since it works its way into the oceans and waterways. I am vegan which saves a certain number of animals, their feed and water requirements(HUGE) and waste pollution. Bring stainless coffee/tea tumblers always in the car. Flush the toilet after 4 or 5 pees instead of every time(only at home obviously). Try to use up all my produce since I am a stakeholder in a local csa-Community supported agriculture?? my little family farmers.
Thanks for posting this. Hope it inspires.

So many great comments from everyone! I've learned a lot. Thanks

@BeeHappy, yours has been a very important question on a hot issue (no pun intended).

2

I am almost obsessive when it comes to REAL, environmental issues.

  1. Teach Ecology, conservation and land management
  2. Grow all my own fruit and vegetables, as well as eggs
  3. Run our local community vegetable gardens
  4. Export 40kwh per day to the grid in addition to providing all of our own energy needs
  5. Deliver the annual litter round up in the area
  6. Give talks and run one on one sustainable training free for the local community
  7. Have reduced our mains water consumption to 35 litres per person per day and still working on this one.
  8. The community group I volunteer for makes reusable shopping bags from discarded fabric, repairs discarded computers and computers as operates a thrift shop.
  9. I assist our local community pantry, both in physical work but also donating excess garden produce
    Sadly, I have some restrictions as I have bills to pay, I do manage to live on $100 per week and pay all my bills from that so I consider I do not consume much, I drive as little as possible and although we have a number of cars here, we almost always car pool with others. I drive about 3500 miles per year using about 600 litres of fuel. I really need an electric vehicle, but the cost ....... Always looking for more ways, just with more people would take up the challenge. Well done Bee

Whoa! Awesome! Thanks for all you do and keep up the good work!

i'm mightily impressed, great work you're doing 🙂

2

I work for an e-waste recycle, we take used IT equipment and test it for functionality, if it works, we resell it, if it doesn't work, we shred it and sell the commodities for use in new products

Cool!

2

Wow! I am so impressed with our group. You all do so much! Most of my neighbors don't do diddley squat! Love you guys! <3 🙂

Me too!

yes, & me 🙂

2

Share my appreciation of it with others ~

Varn Level 8 Dec 14, 2017
2

I forgot to mention composting toilets, shaping my pasture to slow down water flow and increase absorption

2

I do the same except making my own cleaning fluids. I alway pick up garbage when I see it. I hate litter. I never idle my car, and try to be fuel efficient. I reuse things like empty cans and bottles, or anything else that I can find alternate uses for, instead of throwing it away. I wish I lived in a place where I could walk/bike more, but it's too spread out where I live.

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